Subaru announces that the FT-86 will become the BRZ sports car

AUTO NEWS

From FT to BRZ

by Vince Pornelos

August 23, 2011 13:05

For years the car scene has been teased with Toyota's FT-86 concept, promising to bring the dynamics and driving experience of the iconic AE86 into the new century. Well, they have announced that the new car is entering development, but with a twist: the new car will be by Subaru, and will be called the BRZ.

BRZ stands for Boxer engine, Rear wheel drive, Zenith, making full use of Subaru's powerful horizontally opposed engines, albeit with rear wheel drive. The new car is still in early joint development between Subaru and Toyota, though Subaru will be debuting a technology concept at the upcoming Frankfurt auto show called the BRZ Prologue.

It sounds a bit like Gran Turismo 5, though hopefully the new doesn't take as long as GT5 did from Prologue to production, as Subaru is targeting a spring 2012 release for the production car.